Buyer takeaway: compare a solar street light as a complete road-lighting system: the LED optic and operating schedule, photovoltaic panel, battery, controller, pole, foundation and service plan. Ask every supplier to show the same site assumptions and evidence before comparing prices.
For a barangay road or public-space project, a catalog wattage does not tell a buyer how the road will look after sunset or how the light will behave after several cloudy days. A useful request for quotation starts with the road plan, expected nighttime activity and site conditions. The supplier can then propose a system that can be checked before purchase and inspected after installation.
Supply a scaled drawing showing road and path widths, junctions, pedestrian areas, existing poles, trees and nearby homes. State the planned mounting heights, installation limits and hours of operation. Ask for a photometric layout using the proposed luminaire's actual distribution file and the intended pole spacing. Review dark gaps, direct glare and spill beyond the target area. A bright-looking product photograph cannot verify any of these on its own.
The U.S. Department of Energy's FEMP exterior-lighting purchasing guide covers pole and roadway luminaires and illustrates an evidence-based way to compare output and input power. Its U.S. federal purchasing thresholds are not automatically Philippine project requirements; use the method and set the applicable local acceptance criteria with the project designer.
Define the nightly light profile first: full output hours, any approved dimming periods, sensor behavior and the minimum output needed at each time. Ask the supplier to show the LED and controller consumption against the usable battery energy, expected charging under the site-specific solar resource, and losses assumed in the model. Panel wattage and nominal battery capacity alone are insufficient to explain the operating result.
Set the autonomy target as a project requirement and ask how the system recovers after low-charge periods. The NREL off-grid training material explains that load profiles, seasonality and system autonomy vary by application. Request the assumptions and calculation instead of accepting a universal number of backup nights.
Ask the local design team to review shade, pole location, wind exposure, drainage, potential flooding, coastal corrosion where relevant, and access for cleaning. The DOE photovoltaic procurement guide recommends assessing weather risks and reflecting them in technical specifications. That is a planning principle for the RFQ, not proof that a particular fixture is suitable for a specific site.
For each quoted assembly, request the panel and bracket drawings, pole and foundation interface, enclosure and cable-entry instructions, material and finish details, and the supplier's test evidence for the exact configuration offered. A local engineer should confirm the structural and installation requirements before final approval.
| RFQ item | Evidence to request |
|---|---|
| Road lighting | Photometric file, scaled layout, pole schedule and intended control states |
| PV and storage | Panel rating, battery chemistry and usable energy, charging assumptions, autonomy calculation and low-charge behavior |
| Installation | Mounting and foundation interface, wiring and sealing instructions, site exposure review |
| After-sales support | Inspection plan, replacement battery and controller availability, warranty scope and service procedure |
Keep exceptions visible in the matrix. If two proposals assume different dimming profiles, pole heights or battery autonomy, they are not equivalent bids until those assumptions are reconciled.
Before acceptance, check installed pole positions, panel orientation and shading, luminaire aiming, programmed operating modes, controller settings and maintenance access against the approved submittal. Record the as-built layout and component serial information. Agree who will inspect the panels, replace batteries and handle faults after handover.
No. Compare the photometric result on the actual road, the operating schedule and the complete PV and battery energy budget. Wattage alone does not establish useful coverage or reliable runtime.
Set an autonomy target for the particular site and risk tolerance, then ask the supplier to show the load, usable battery energy, charging assumptions and recovery calculation. Do not assume one backup figure suits every road.
Check shading over the relevant seasons and hours before choosing the panel location. If the proposed integrated panel cannot receive adequate solar exposure, review an alternative pole location or system configuration.
Request the exact model and component schedule, photometric file and layout, energy-budget calculation, battery and panel documentation, mounting drawings, installation manual, warranty scope and replacement-parts plan.
Reference scope: The linked NREL and U.S. DOE resources support general off-grid sizing and procurement methods. Confirm the applicable Philippine project requirements with the local authority and design team.
Contact Vantone for a Quick QuoteSend the road plan, pole locations, operating schedule, site shading, autonomy target, quantity and OEM requirements.
